The present invention relates to a packaging unit for packaging a plurality of parts and, more specifically, to a packaging unit in the form of a tape which is suitable for automatically mounting parts, each having a relatively large width, onto an object such as a board.
Various packaging units have been proposed for packaging small parts, such as connectors each having a plurality of contacts. For example, those packaging units using a stick carrier or a tray are known, which will later be described in conjunction with the drawing. However, either of the stick carrier and the tray provides only small space for housing the connectors so that the number of the connectors to be packaged per stick carrier or tray is limited. Further, when using the stick carrier or the tray, a manual operation is required for mounting the connector onto a board. This manual operation requires much time so that the working efficiency is lowered as compared with the automatic mounting of the connector.
Further, there is available a packaging unit which houses the connectors in a tape member thereof. In this packaging unit, it is usual that each connector is packaged in a posture where a width or longitudinal direction of the connector coincides with a width direction of the tape member. However, when the number of the contacts mounted to each connector is increased, a width of each connector, that is, a magnitude of each connector in a longitudinal direction thereof, is increased so that the connector can not be properly received within a width of the tape member.
In this case, it may be considered that each connector is packaged in an inclined posture relative to the tape member. However, when the connector is packaged in the inclined posture, it becomes difficult to wind the tape member around a reel. Accordingly, when the width of the connector exceeds a given range, the connector can not be packaged by means of the tape member. Thus, the connector having such a large width has to be packaged using the foregoing stick carrier or tray.